Running out of time
by DreamedUp
Summary: In this world time runs so much faster than in yours". Time was against them. Naruto, suddenly intruding in Itachi's after-life, knew it as much as Uchiha himself. After all they only had a week. Enough to fall in love. Complete summary & warnings inside.


Hey) This was made as I promised and I also think about submitting it for the ItaNaru Fanwork Contest Award 2009. Of course, if people will like it) So, I would really appreciate it if you reviewed and told me what you think about the story, even if your thoughts aren't exactly pleasant)))) And, who want to be my beta-reader? Maybe **Imperial Mint**? Or **swence**?

Anyway)

Disclaimer: *weeps*  
Pairing: ItaNaru/NaruIta  
Warnings: AU? AR? I can't poot my finger on it. Slight OOC, but I think there's not too much of it. Manga spoilers in the meaning if you still think Itachi is a bad guy, this fic is not for you. Oh, and it's angsty. Guess, that's it.  
Summary: "In this world time runs so much faster than in yours". Time was against them. Naruto, suddenly intruding in Itachi's after-life, knew it as much as Uchiha himself. After all they only had a week. Just enough time to fall in love. But they were running out of time.

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**Running out of time

* * *

  
**

"Guess what, Itachi?!" he barged through the door of the small apartment they lived in for the past week. Itachi looked up at the young man before him and sipped his tea.

"Dad and Jiraya found the exact place the lightning will hit, so that means I'm totally coming back home! Can you believe it?" he sounded happy, ecstatic, but to Itachi's ears the news was similar to the feeling of death. He experienced that already.

He met the teen's gaze and saw happiness. Well, if it would make Naruto happy he would do it. He would say what Naruto wanted him to say and just bury his feelings deeper. The teen wouldn't approve, but he didn't have to know about that. It was for his sake anyway.

"That's wonderful, Naruto. You can come back to Konoha now and meet with your friends. And remember what I told you about Sasuke and how to persuade him" he smiled weakly at the other, but Naruto didn't see the small tremble of lips as Itachi stretched them to smile. He grinned widely and laughed.

"Yeah, thanks for the tip there. But I would be able to bring Sasuke back anyway, really!"

Itachi looked back into his tea-cup. How could Naruto be so happy? Or was the last week just a way to pass the time for him? Or, after all, Itachi probably imagined it all, and Naruto just stayed his forced guest, oblivious to the sweet dreams of happiness Itachi had about him.

"You don't look that happy, Itachi" he noted and came closer to the table. It was bare, only a tea-pot and two cups stood on it. Naruto sat on the chair so that he faced the man now. "I know what you're thinking. But you must understand I have to-"

"I know, Naruto" Itachi interrupted. He smiled slightly and brought the cup to his lips. "I'm happy for you"

"I'm not happy for you" the teen confessed. He looked down on the table, his smile slipping, proving to be forced and unusually painful to his face. Itachi put his hand on Naruto's but their eyes didn't meet.

"I don't want to be selfish" he said.

"But I want you to be!" Naruto looked up, determined and angry but Itachi took his hand away and straightened up.

"Have a safe journey" he said firmly and stood, not looking at the other, not meeting those blue eyes, he went to the door.

OOO

It was a rainy day, the streets were damp and the houses grey, the sky couldn't be seen through the water falling from it. Itachi sat in one of the coffee houses that were so popular in his small town which he seemed unable to get out of.

It was a curse probably, for him anyway. Most of the people like him, Minato Namikadze for example, liked the small boring town. It was meant for them to rest there after all. But there was something that lacked in this place. As if everyone around him had something Itachi hadn't. What was heaven for the people around him was hell to him.

He just died from boredom. Until he saw a lightning. The lightnings meant only one thing in this town.

Somebody has died.

But unlike in any other town in the world, this one wouldn't organize a funeral. Nobody would gather crying for the deceased while the body was buried under the ground. In fact, nobody would even know somebody died. Except, of course, for those chosen few – the people from another world.

A person, that dies in the other-world, as they called it now, if they were significant somehow, if they were heroic and brave, they would be granted another life, in another world in the town from which they couldn't get out, but nevertheless they could enjoy peace there.

People like Namikadze Minato or Sage Jiraya were granted a life where they didn't need to worry about fighting or fearing their precious people might get hurt. In this world they could rest and remember.

Itachi didn't have much to remember though.

All of his happy memories were of the time when everything was still calm and peaceful and even he was oblivious to what was plotted behind his back by his own family.

Those were painful memories. Although he was happy at the time, what hurt was that Itachi remembered just too clearly how awfully wrong it all ended. Others like him would talk about their loved ones non-stop, they would remember them, pass the time by diving inside their memories of happy times with their precious people.

Itachi couldn't do that. He didn't have happy memories about him and his little brother – the only precious person alive – in the other-world of course. While Namikadze Minato and Sage Jiraya invited Itachi to the 'reading' – the only time they would be able to find out what was going on in another world – Itachi usually didn't join. He didn't want to look at Sasuke's sufferings.

That day was also the day the 'reading' was going to be. Friday. And again, Itachi didn't join. He chose to sit in the coffee house instead and look at the people from this world. They were so different. They didn't have wars in other-world people's understanding. They had weapons instead of chakra, they had soldiers instead of ninjas. Their lives were filled with different opportunities. For example if in the other-world a person had to choose their vocation, it would either be a ninja or a villager. In this world it was so many different things: you could be a soldier or a musician, or you could be a painter or a singer, you could be a biologist and you could even be a hippie. However, Itachi didn't fancy any of these opportunities. He was worried about the other-world. But he was no longer a part of it, so he had to find what to do with his new life.

Sadly, he didn't have anything to remember, nor did he have his wish for his brother to be happy come true yet. He couldn't rest. He couldn't do anything either. His days were filled with boredom and the unsuccessful attempts to suppress worry.

And then, like the omen of change, the lightning hit the ground just near the lake some two hundred metres away from the coffee house.

Itachi wondered who could have died. Maybe, it could be some significant ruler, like Tsunade or Kasekage. Or it could be Kakashi Hatake. It could also be somebody who saved the Most Important Character's life. But it couldn't be one of the Most Important Characters himself.

Although Itachi didn't visit the 'readings' often, he did come to find out the news occasionally. The 'reading' was a ceremony of purchasing a comic book – its name was manga – with the latest chapter of 'Naruto'. In this world the other-world was known as a popular story about the boy-ninja, the chosen one, the nine-tailed demon's vessel, Naruto Uzumaki. The creator of this comic was like a bridge, a telepath, connecting the two worlds together through the popular comic-story. In the other-world, Itachi remembered, there was once a person like that too, talking about buildings higher than mountains and people flying without using chakra or any ninjutsu. But he was killed by an angry mob thinking he was a witch.

Or was Itachi confusing something?

Most Important Characters were Naruto Uzumaki, his closest friends (Sakura Haruno and Sai – real name unknown) and Uchiha Sasuke. These couldn't die, because the story would end. The guy-from-the-other-world-who-was-killed-by-an-angry-mob also talked about the people that couldn't die, or life just wouldn't be interesting: this Putin or something, George Bush and some bunch of Ukrainians, that were making a circus out of their country.

So, keeping in mind that Most Important Characters couldn't die, Itachi went to search out the glorious person that deserved a second life – second chance for happiness. And he was very shocked when he found an unconscious Most Important Character lying on the ground.

Uzumaki Naruto. Impossible.

A series of diffrent thoughts ran though Itachi's mind. First off, he remembered Jiraya's bet that Naruto was stronger than Sasuke and if somebody died in the end it would be the young Uchiha. Well ha! In your face, Jiraya-sama!

But then again, Uzumaki Naruto was the Most Important Character and his name was on the manga. He couldn't have died. Unless until Sasuke did. So Itachi's next thought was "We're finally all going to die! Apocalypse has come!"

But a minute passed, two minutes and he was still alive. And the boy was still unconscious. Itachi contemplated on leaving him for his father or his teacher to find, but thought against it. After all they might not find the kid soon enough and then he'd spend days wondering around, like Itachi did because when he died neither of the other-world people knew he was worthy of a second life yet.

The boy would ask lots of questions and of course would be scared of him, but after all everybody has lots of questions in the beginning of the second life, and Itachi didn't have anything to do anyway.

He picked the boy up and brought him to his apartment. It was small for the two of them, but it was all he could offer until his father picked him up.

As he put the boy on his bed, he couldn't understand what could have changed his apartment so abruptly. For some reason, even though the table, the chairs, other furniture – all stayed as it was on its place, something has changed.

He took out his mobile phone and dialed Minato Namikadze's number.

"Oh, Itachi-san, how do you do?" that man was always polite and smiling but in the depth of his eyes Itachi could see pity whenever Fourth Hokage looked at him. Itachi grew to despise those eyes. He didn't need their pity. He did what he had to. Pity was a sign of weakness, Itachi's weakness. He wasn't weak. He preferred to keep his memories to himself.

"I'm fine. Have you seen the lightning?"

"Yes, that's probably Hatake Kakashi, he died not too long ago. We're searching for him now" he answered more seriously now.

"Actually, there's no need for the search. I've found a person, and it's not Kakashi-san" Itachi told the other.

Fifteen minutes later Itachi's small apartment was full of people. Namikadze Minato, Jiraya the Sage, Third Hokage and Asuma Sarutobi – and all these people were dead. But those were minor details, since what was important was why the hell Uzumaki Naruto was in this world if he wasn't dead yet according to manga?!

"This might be because of what Sasuke did" Itachi froze at Minato's words. He felt the Fourth's eyes on him, but he carefully held his gaze in place on the unconscious teen. Could it be that… Sasuke killed Naruto? Could it be that Naruto wasn't able to stop him? And what was going to happen now to Konoha and to the peace Itachi worked so hard for? What would happen to Sasuke?

"Yes, that's right, he used this new type of Sharingan and Naruto was thrown into his consciousness and tortured with his own memories. But I thought he fought back, didn't he?" Jiraya asked, his voice loud, ripping through the silence.

"I thought so too. He even opened his eyes in this chapter, didn't he? Right before the chapter ended." Asuma agreed eagerly, taking out his cigarette and a lighter.

"My apartment is a no-smoking area" Itachi interrupted the other man's actions. "This Sharingan is unknown to me, as Sasuke was the one who invented it, however, I can assume that it has abilities to so-to-say divide mind of the victim from their body. Since Sasuke hasn't explored the powers of this Sharingan himself, I believe he did this unintentionally and, unable to control what was happening, he sent Naruto's mind into this world. He is still alive, but right now his consciousness is here and his body is in the other-world."

"Do you think we could somehow help him come back?" this time Itachi met Minato's eyes.

"I'm sure. However, I believe the time is limited"

"What do you mean the time is limited?!"

Everyone's eyes were on the teen, who was no longer unconscious. He was staring wide-eyed at those around him. Itachi tried to step back but it was too late.

"And what the hell are you doing here?!" Naruto pointed at the brunet and his eyes were now filled with panic. "And… you guys are all dead, aren't you? What the hell is going on?"

"Naruto…" Minato tried and put his hand on the teen's shoulder. Itachi could see it was difficult for him to speak to his son, so when Minato's hand was slapped away not only did he quiver, but Itachi too. "Naruto, let me explain-"

"Who the hell are you and why am I here instead of where Sasuke is? Is this some kind of a trick, Sasuke?" Naruto started shouting and looking at the ceiling, as if from above it Sasuke would look back. "Why are you doing this? I don't see any sense in this! You just-"

"Naruto, shut up!" The sudden silence was like music to Itachi's ears. He hated loud noises. They were giving him headaches. And Naruto's voice was just a little too loud every time he met the boy.

Although everybody was staring at him, surprised with his sudden outburst, Itachi didn't continue immediately. He rubbed at his temples and closed his eyes, sighing.

"Right now you are in another world where Sasuke accidentally threw you. Here live people who were granted the honour to live a second life peacefully, since these people were worthy in their first ones."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?!" Naruto snarled. Minato Namikadze, angered by his son's exclamation, tried to start the explanation of Itachi's hard and sad life, which he sacrificed for his little brother's happiness, but was interrupted by the Uchiha.

"Thank you, Minato-sama, but I do not need your protection. This doesn't matter anyway, so Naruto-kun, please, don't worry. We will all do as much as we can to bring you back to your world" Itachi didn't even need to look at the teen's father to know his eyes were filled with pity again. He didn't need it. God damn it, he did not need this man's pity!

Naruto was silent as everyone was staring back at him. Everyone, except for Itachi. This man was looking a little above the teen's blond head, his eyes a little too cold and angry. He remembered them void and calm. Concentrated sometimes, but never emotional. And the man's face. It was much younger. Back when Itachi was still alive, Naruto remembered, his face was looking a little too old for the 21 years. If he didn't know Itachi was only 5 years older than Sasuke, he would have thought this man was at least 35.

But now Itachi's face and features in whole were of his own age. He looked young and a little less stressed. And although he was an enemy, Naruto couldn't help wondering if maybe this man wasn't just a cold-hearted maniac.

"How long will it take for you to find a way to bring me back?" Naruto asked finally, breaking the tense silence.

"We don't know" Minato answered. "It might be a day or might be a week, or even more"

"But he" Naruto nodded his head towards Itachi. "said the time is limited"

"Yes. It is. Probably a week is all we have" Jiraya answered.

"Why is that?" Naruto looked at the Sage quizzically.

"Because, brat, in this world a week is like an hour or two in your world. If we're not quick enough, you might stay in this world forever"

"Do you even have a clue, what to do?" Naruto asked. The answer was silence.

"Weather forecast says next week we're going to have a storm" Itachi answered finally. "That might probably mean that Sasuke's jutsu will reverse at that time. Sadly, but it's the only way out for us. Chakra doesn't exist in this world, so neither I nor any of people around me could perform any jutsu to bring you back, Naruto-kun."

"Then, I guess, I'll just have to wait, won't I?"

In another hour Itachi's apartment was empty again. He didn't mind. He liked being alone in his solitude. Although, for some reason, this time the place was too empty.

He spent hours to tidy up, because those lousy dead saints made a mess, he scrubbed extra hard on the bathtub, because it wasn't shiny enough today, he flipped through the channels on his TV mindlessly three times, he threw the TV remote on the table ten times and as many times picked it up, rubbed at it with the palm of his hand and threw it on the table again, he bought groceries, although he had plenty of food, he cooked, because he felt like cooking, he threw the food away. All this he did because he wanted to, not because his apartment was extremely empty.

So when his mobile started ringing, he didn't jump in excitement, and didn't rush to it. He simply picked it up and his hands didn't tremble when he looked at the caller's ID and realized it was Minato. He wasn't worried at all. He didn't have a bad feeling. No, not at all.

"I'm sorry to call you this late, but I think there's something wrong with Naruto and it might be connected to you"

Late? It wasn't late. It was only… two in the morning? Oh, that was probably quite late.

"What's wrong?" Itachi gripped the phone hard, because he was just worried for the kid, not because there was something personal. Of course not. He would be as worried about any person!

"He's got a serious fever and unable to stand up. I think there is the connection between you. The one you made before you died, remember?"

"Yes. I'll be there soon"

Now Itachi wasn't the type to visit other people's houses. He always preferred to stay at home and just watch TV aimlessly or read books – those that didn't have anything to do with philosophy. He would just walk around the town, but never, unless he was obligated to do so, did he visit anybody. What was the sense? They were all dead after all. Their second lives consisted of memories of their first ones and nobody ever tried to actually live this one through. Then what was the sense in visiting if the only thing people would talk about was past?

But Itachi still knew where everybody lived. Just in case.

Naruto's fever subsided immediately when Itachi entered the room. When the man touched his forehead with his fingers the fever was completely gone. Minato decided it would be best if Naruto lived with Itachi and met with him and Jiraya for some periods of time. Itachi didn't care. It was best for the teen and therefore it was best for Sasuke, because Naruto would be able to return to his world and bring Itachi's brother to his senses. That was all. Itachi's interest in Naruto's stay in his apartment was just that. Right?

Naruto, on the other hand, acted strange now. He hardly met the man's eye on their way back to his apartment, so Itachi assumed Minato-san had told him the truth about what had happened during the massacre. Fine. Whatever. Another pitiful eyes wouldn't be exactly pleasant, but that would be just for a week.

The only problem was – Itachi didn't have a second bed. And the sofa was old and dirty. While the bed was double size and very comfortable, so he almost didn't want to abandon it and let the other sleep on it. At least alone. That was an idea!

"Naruto-kun, do you mind if I sleep on the bed too?" of course he wouldn't mind.

"Oh, no, of course not. It's your bed after all" that was all Itachi needed.

And so they were lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and unable to fall asleep. Their eyes were heavy but their minds were frantic with the thoughts of what Minato told Naruto about the Uchiha massacre.

"Are you sleeping?"

"No" Itachi muttered and turned on his side with his back to the teen.

"I've been thinking"

"That's a progress"

"Hey! You're just like Sasuke! You bastard!"

"Well, I am his brother"

Naruto was silent for a second.

"Namikadze-sama – I mean, d-dad… Well, he told me about… about what you did… for Sasuke" Naruto turned his head to look at the man's back, waiting. Itachi seemed reluctant to give away any sign that he had heard what the blond teen had said.

"So?" he finally asked with a sigh.

"So…" Naruto muttered. "So I thought that… that it was terribly unfair! Why wasn't there any other choice? Why wouldn't Uchiha try the truce?"

"Because, Naruto" Itachi turned back on his back and stared at the ceiling. "they wanted power. They didn't care for what could happen and probably would happen with millions of people and with whole nations because of their coup d'état! They just wanted power"

He didn't know why he was telling this to the boy, why he was explaining this to him, why he was actually talking at all about this. It was after all the past. His previous life. The one people usually do not remember! But this boy was angering him with his stupid question. Why was he talking about this at all? His father told him the story. He was shocked. He pitied him and lamented over how poor and unhappy Itachi was. That's it. Period. What else did he need from him now? Juicy details?

"I think you're really great!"

Ok, what?! That was definitely not what Itachi might have been expecting from the teen. Great? Itachi wasn't great. He was a villainous murderer that made his little brother suffer.

"If I were given such a choice, I don't know what I would do!" Naruto continued, oblivious to the man's surprise. "I was never given such a choice. It's horrible what had happened! And I don't know how I would have done what you did. Heck, you're really cool! You fooled all of us for how long? Seven years? And nobody ever knew! Even Akatsuki! Even Madara!"

"Madara knew." Itachi interrupted this exclamation.

"Oh"

"That's why Sasuke knows now"

"Oh!"

"That is why he joined Akatsuki and wants to destroy Konoha"

"OH! Now I see!"

"And that's why I gave you some of my power, so that you would stop Sasuke"

"Wait a second! You don't believe I'm strong enough to defeat Sasuke?!"

"It's just in case"

Itachi couldn't believe it. He was talking about his whole plan with this teen when he absolutely refused to even discuss anything about his life with all the others. He didn't know what has gotten into him. But the fact that Naruto wasn't pitying him but _sympathizing_ and _admiring_ him was absolutely ridiculous to Itachi.

How could anyone admire him? _He_ didn't admire himself, never was proud at all of anything he had ever done. Why was Naruto fascinated by his actions?

They didn't sleep that night, too busy talking about Itachi's 'greatness' at first, then just some random stuff, which was mostly Naruto's initiative, but the other was still listening and occasionally commenting. They did, however, fall asleep in the morning and slept through half the day.

It was… new to Itachi: this trust.

The evening was quiet and empty, like the previous one. Naruto went to meet with his father and his teacher. He would come back later, Itachi knew this, and wasn't worried in the least. Although he did feel bored.

Just a day before Itachi's life consisted of pointless thoughts and wandering around the town in which he felt like in prison. He would spend his days staring at the place, trying to look at it, but in reality doing what every other person did: looking back.

The moment Naruto appeared in this town, Itachi could do this no longer. Suddenly all these wanderings became boring, all the TV shows and films were stupid and all the books were just not enough for real life. Itachi tried to drown those foolish thoughts in routine, he walked around the town, he bought ramen, which he found out his guest liked to eat, he tried clothes-shopping, he tried tidying his apartment, just like the previous day.

But it was all not enough.

He sat at the kitchen table and listened to the clock ticking seconds away. Time was running out.

Naruto came back by midnight, excited by his meeting with his father. Itachi was in the bed trying to sleep.

"Guess what?" he exclaimed.

"What?"

"Dad told me about his technique, the one for which he was called a Yellow Blur or something"

"That's wonderful" he answered without enthusiasm.

"It's sad though" the teen fell on the bed near the other, his hair tickling Itachi's face. "that I've only a week to be with him and Jiraya"

Naruto turned on his side facing the window. The moon was high in the star-lit sky, shining into the room, its light falling onto the two men on the bed.

"Why do I need to be near you all the time?" Naruto asked loudly, his voice cutting through the silence and hurting Itachi's ears.

"Because of that power I gave you, remember? It's the only thing keeping you alive now in this world. That's why you're almost attached to my life energy until you come back to your world." Itachi answered irritably, although he added in a more quiet voice: "I'm sorry you have to spend your time with me"

It sounded bitter to his ears, but he hoped Naruto wouldn't pick it up. Indeed, what was he so angry about? The boy didn't have anything to do with him, while Minato-san and Jiraya-san were those who were really close to him. And why did it matter at all whom Naruto preferred? It didn't matter at all!

"You know, Itachi" Naruto turned on another side now facing Itachi. The other had to turn to meet the younger man's eyes. They were very intense now, Naruto's face serious, his shoulders tense. "There's a secret I want to tell you."

Now that was a turn!

"I never told it to anybody, because I'm not sure anyone would understand."

But Itachi would understand, of course he would, because Naruto trusted him and now he could see clearly Naruto preferred him more than others, he wanted to tell him the secret he hadn't told even to his father, not even to Sasuke or Jiraya the Sage, not Sakura – that girl! – nor to Kakashi-san, not to Tsunade or Third Hokage. Itachi was special in Naruto's eyes! Because he would understand whatever Naruto wanted to tell him!

Such thoughts were disturbing. Very disturbing in Itachi's opinion.

"What do you want to tell me, Naruto?" he asked as calmly as he could. The teen stopped staring at him and turned his eyes on the bed sheets.

"Well… I… I was thinking, you know, like when people think about whom they like and stuff and about Jiraya's obsessions with brothels, OH, you just don't know how obsessed he is with them, when we were training-"

"You're getting off the topic now, Naruto"

"Uh… sure. Of course! Yeah!"

"So?"

"Ugh, so… I…"

"You?"

"I…"

"For God's sake, Naruto!"

"I think I'm gay!"

Wow! That was unexpected.

Who'd think that number one loudmouth who was obsessing over that girl with pink hair half his life, was in reality preferring boys? Itachi definitely didn't.

"Why did you assume that?" he asked the other and for some reason lying in a bed with Naruto suddenly got another meaning.

"Wel… when we were in the hot springs…"

"Hot springs?"

"Well, yeah. And well, Sasuke was changing…"

"That could be just an aesthetic appreciation of another man's body"

"Wel… I… I kind of…"

"No! Do not continue!"

Well, damn! Naruto was having erotic thoughts about Sasuke at the age of 12! Eeewwwwww!!! Suddenly the double sized bed became incredibly small.

"You're probably right…" Naruto turned away and got closer to the edge of the bed. "That's not right" he mumbled trying to sound casual.

"What's not right?" Itachi asked him calmly.

"Well, I should like women, right? Look more at Sakura, maybe my crush on her would return. Yeah, it was a stupid idea, you know- I mean, who'd want to lie in the same bed with a gay boy. Sorry." Naruto laughed sheepishly and Itachi practically heard the bile in the teen's throat.

"Idiot! Keep talking about being turned on by my little brother and you'll only get reactions like that from me. Even if you were a girl, talking about her sexual fantasies about my brother, I'd be extremely unhappy to listen to you. Being gay can't possibly be not right, because it's something you really can't do anything about." Naruto's back was still tense. Itachi sighed tiredly. "Fine, I'll tell you a little secret of my own. I had many sexual experiences in my life, and not all of them were with women"

That got Naruto's attention. His body tensed even more, but that was probably because the boy was just a little shocked. Only a little.

And then Naruto laughed. Oh how he laughed! That was the loudest, liveliest laugh Itachi had ever heard in his short life! Couldn't be coming from a demon-fox's vessel, could it? And suddenly, Naruto seemed older, more mature, wiser even, than just a minute ago when he was talking about his sexuality. So that was who he truly was, that boy?

He was so strange.

That was Sunday morning. Five and a half days left.

They were so lively now, Itachi's days of his second life. He would talk more than he ever did back when he lived in the other-world with anybody. Of course, he talked hardly half as much as Naruto did, but he still felt mountains of words leaving him, freeing him. Naruto liked ramen and their meals were only in those places where his favourite food was served. They walked around the town a lot. Most of the times they were with Naruto's teachers, father and Third Hokage. But it was fun anyway.

Itachi wasn't sure if he was the only one, or were all of them feeling this Life spill out of Naruto and splash them in the face. It was what they all needed. It was a feel of what they left behind and couldn't come back to. It was paradise!

Three and a half days left of it.

"You need to be a little more egoistic, you know!" Naruto told him Tuesday morning at the breakfast. Itachi hummed without really protesting or accepting what the younger man was saying to him. "No, seriously! You've been selfless long enough! Isn't the second life granted to you so that you could _enjoy_ it?!"

"The problem is, I don't really know _how_ to enjoy life. I never did it in the previous one" Itachi confessed his secret as if it was a talk about what they should eat for lunch. As casual as possible. It didn't even matter anymore. Naruto wasn't buying it.

"You need a girlfriend, Itachi!" he summed up with a thoughtful expression on his face which only created a doubt Naruto actually thought what he said.

"Yeah, a girlfriend I won't be able to talk to" Itachi replied.

"Why not?"

"I won't be able to tell her anything about myself really, and if she wants to leave the town, I won't be able to do that either. There is no girl here that wouldn't think I'm crazy if I started talking about the parallel world I came from, especially since this parallel world is a popular comic book in this world."

"Oh, come on! It's not that bad!" Naruto grinned widely. "Maybe a boyfriend then" he said laughing.

"One gay friend is quite enough to make me happy" Itachi said, although, to his shame, he didn't quite think before opening his mouth.

Naruto's eyes were shimmering with something. He knew that look. Whenever the teen remembered Sasuke, Sakura or his other friends, he would have that look. But that time his eyes were shimmering like that for Itachi, and it was… it was…

What was he thinking?!

"You really think I'm your friend?" Naruto grinned widely and after receiving a nod from another man, slurped contentedly on his ramen. "That's so awesome! I would have never thought the two of us would be able to become friends"

"Not in that life anyway" Itachi said. "And technically, we aren't. I'm from another life now. Until you're here, we're friends, but then you'll be back in your real world, and won't need some dead guy. We won't keep in touch. We won't be able to. And our friendship will have no use"

It was important to make him remember he was going to be back to normal life. It was important to make Naruto understand they won't be friends forever. He didn't want to hurt Naruto more than he had to.

The teen was dead serious when he said "You're being selfless again, Itachi." He left the apartment.

He came back late at night and didn't utter a word. Two and a half days left. The next day he left in the early morning and came back for lunch. He was silent and didn't look at Itachi. He left as soon as he could in the mean time not hurting his health by being away for too long. When he came back Itachi was sleeping on the couch. A day and a half left.

It was Thursday. Jiraya and Minato were too busy trying to work out where exactly the lighting would hit so that Naruto would be in time to come back to his world, to spend that day with their student and son.

So he stayed with Itachi.

The weather forecast said that the morning would be sunny. So would be the day. They promised the inhabitants of the town they could watch the sun setting. But then the storm would start. It would continue till the Friday evening, when the new chapter of Naruto manga – the famous comic that people all around the world admire and read, would come out.

Their morning together was quiet. Itachi was firm, he knew what was best, he always did. He would not talk first, he would not talk with the other at all up until he left back to another world, if it would make Naruto's life better later on.

After all what was the point in remembering a dead person? Itachi was dead, that's how he felt and no second life would revive him. So why should Naruto remember him? Why should Naruto cherish their friendship if it was of no use to either of them? Why should Naruto feel guilty his whole life because he found out that for Itachi he wasn't a mere friend. And he would find out if Itachi spoke. It would be out even if he wouldn't say that. Naruto would see it, hear it, feel it – Itachi just knew it.

It was growing inside of him, it was born somewhere in his lungs and then grew, filling his stomach with butterflies, his hands with the craving to touch that beautiful skin, his fingertips with the desire to brush the other's hair, his lips with the itching sensation one could not find a name for.

The lunch was ramenless. Naruto wasn't hungry. Itachi ate forcefully. The younger man's gaze on him was making him lose any appetite he might have still had.

"You're not going to say anything to me?"

One and a half days left.

"What do you want me to say, Naruto-kun?"

No. Exactly one day left now.

"Maybe, that you will miss me?"

Only one day left.

"I will say that to you when tomorrow you will be about to leave. That's what everybody says after all"

He knew the words hurt. He knew. But he was willing to hurt Naruto, if it would rid him from affection towards the elder Uchiha. Because they shouldn't long for another meeting. It would be too painful to think they won't be able to meet again.

But would it be even more painful to think they could have experienced _something_, but didn't?

"You're so egoistic in your selflessness! At least tell me the shit about severing bonds your brother was talking about! I'll at least know there _were_ bonds!"

Itachi stayed silent. It was all for Naruto's sake after all. He would understand some day. The teen stood up and left. Again. Itachi couldn't help but wonder when will Naruto come back this time.

The kitchen was showing how empty it really was with the two bowls of ramen, standing on the table. Untouched.

The living room was clean with emptiness, only that ugly void littering the floor and dusting the TV.

The bedroom was made with void's hands, a huge hollow lying on the sheets and reading yesterday's newspaper.

Naruto wasn't there. Would he ever be there again?

No, he wouldn't.

The sun was setting and Itachi was tired of running around. Naruto was nowhere to be seen. That town that once seemed so small was huge for him now.

He needed to find Naruto. He didn't know where he was. Naruto could have gone to the grocery store, or to that café where he liked an ice-cream, or he might have gone to help Minato-san, or-

Naruto was walking slowly towards him, his head down, his hands in his pockets. He stopped and looked at the older man. That silence again! But that didn't matter. That didn't matter because Naruto was coming back for one more time. Just for one more time the life – that hell he was granted with instead of paradise – would feel like the Life.

"Why did it have to happen like that?" Naruto asked as they walked quietly back to the apartment.

"Why did what have to happen like that?" Itachi asked hoarsely.

"Everything"

He looked at the darkening sky and sighed. It would never be as dark as in the other-world. And the other-world's sky would never be as bright with stars as this one.

"I don't know. But it happened"

The apartment was still hollow.

The sound of the door closing made Naruto startle. The rooms were all dark, only moonlight shining through the windows.

"Just this time" he whispered to Itachi. "Just this time I want you to forget about your previous life. And let yourself and not only yourself be happy"

Itachi nodded silently and Naruto put his palm on the other's eyes. He unbuttoned the older man's shirt and ran his fingertips over the skin of Itachi's chest. The sharp intake of air was heard in the suddenly so filling silence of the room. Naruto kissed him.

And while their lips were united, their tongues dancing a wild dance, their bodies burning in a pleasant fire, the rain started.

It rained all night, the little droplets of water falling on the ground with such force, as if the knives were piercing and stabbing one's heart mercilessly.

It rained in the morning, when Itachi woke up and didn't find Naruto on the bed.

Less than twelve hours before he would be gone.

"Guess what, Itachi?!" he barged through the door of the small apartment they lived in for the past week. Itachi looked up at the young man before him and sipped his tea.

"Dad and Jiraya found the exact place the lightning will hit, so that means I'm totally coming back home! Can you believe it?" he sounded happy, ecstatic, but to Itachi's ears the news was similar to the feeling of death. He experienced that already.

He met the teen's gaze and saw happiness. Well, if it would make Naruto happy he would do it. He would say what Naruto wanted him to say and just bury his feelings deeper. The teen wouldn't approve, but he didn't have to know about that. It was for his sake anyway.

"That's wonderful, Naruto. You can come back to Konoha now and meet with your friends. And remember what I told you about Sasuke and how to persuade him" he smiled weakly at the other, but Naruto didn't see the small tremble of lips as Itachi stretched them to smile. He grinned widely and laughed.

"Yeah, thanks for the tip there. But I would be able to bring Sasuke back anyway, really!"

Itachi looked back into his tea-cup. How could Naruto be so happy? Or was the last week just a way to pass the time for him? Or, after all, Itachi probably imagined it all, and Naruto just stayed his forced guest, oblivious to the sweet dreams of happiness Itachi had about him.

"You don't look that happy, Itachi" he noted and came closer to the table. It was bare, only a tea-pot and two cups stood on it. Naruto sat on the chair so that he faced the man now. "I know what you're thinking. But you must understand I have to-"

"I know, Naruto" Itachi interrupted. He smiled slightly and brought the cup to his lips. "I'm happy for you"

"I'm not happy for you" the teen confessed. He looked down on the table, his smile slipping, proving to be forced and unusually painful to his face. Itachi put his hand on Naruto's but their eyes didn't meet.

"I don't want to be selfish" he said.

"But I want you to be!" Naruto looked up, determined and angry but Itachi took his hand away and straightened up.

"Have a safe journey" he said firmly and stood, not looking at the other, not meeting those blue eyes, he went to the door.

Less than half a day and Naruto would be gone.

Itachi stopped in his tracks.

"You want me to be selfish?" He said angrily, desperately. "Fine! I will be selfish" his voice trembled just for a second. "Stay, Naruto! Please, stay!" he whispered quietly, because his voice would waver if he said it loudly.

"I can't" Naruto whispered too and Itachi laughed bitterly.

"And what's the point of being selfish then?" he smiled sadly at the other and looked away. "You make me feel actually alive" he told Naruto.

"I will always love you" Naruto put a hand on Itachi's shoulder.

"Don't. You should love somebody alive in your world. After all, you'll never see me"

"But I will die someday, won't I?" Naruto exclaimed angrily. "I will die and return to this place and we will be together!"

"I don't think that by that time I will still be here. Time in this world runs so much faster than in another one. You should allow yourself to forget me, Naruto"

"But I don't want to"

Itachi looked in the eyes full of unshed tears and the emotion he couldn't help but feel trying to escape his eyes too. Just like Naruto did the night before Itachi put his palm on the other's eyes. Their lips met in their last kiss.

They would never meet again.

Less than twelve hours…

_You're making me feel alive._

I love you.

That night Itachi couldn't sleep. In a blink of a lightning Naruto disappeared from their lives as if he never even existed in this world in the first place. His smell was gone from the pillow. People around them forgot his face. And, maybe, one day Itachi would be able to forget him too.

But not now.

After all, he was now just the same as all the others from the other-world. He had happy memories to remember. But now he knew how to enjoy the second life in the right way. You had to forget your previous life.

And Itachi wouldn't be able to do that.

* * *

What do you think? To submit or not to submit - that is the question.


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